Disposable electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular, and they are being used by people of all ages, including children and young adults. What makes disposables appealing to users are their colourful packaging, sweet and fruity flavours, low cost, and, for minors, the false sense of maturity that comes with smoking. Disposable vapes are available almost everywhere, with convenience stores and petrol stations stocking at least a few varieties of disposable cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes were initially marketed as a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. Manufacturers claimed that the nicotine used in e-cigarettes did not contain tar. However, nicotine-free e-cigarettes are also available on the market. Despite these claims, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the long-term effects of smoking e-cigarettes can be as severe as smoking regular tobacco products.

One of the biggest concerns is the use of e-cigarettes by children and adolescents. In Poland, one in four teenagers uses vapes, according to the organisation "Planuję długie życie" ("I plan to Live a Long Life"). The WHO has identified Poland as one of the top five European countries with the highest percentage of young people smoking cigarettes.

The Minister of Health, Izabela Leszczyna, commented on the issue of electronic cigarettes in an interview on the 'Trójka' radio. She acknowledged the severity of the problem and announced her plans to fight for healthy lungs for the people of Poland.

Leszczyna stated that electronic cigarettes are a "scourge" and that young people, in particular, need to be protected. She added that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Medical Treatment, is starting to work on a solution. The Ministry of Finance is also involved. Leszczyna aims to ban such sales completely and will demand it, asking the Council of Ministers to agree with her viewpoint.

It's worth noting that the decision to ban the sale of vapes is not solely in her hands as the Minister of Finance, Andrzej Domański, must also agree to such a solution.

A popular TikTok influencer and lawyer from Poland, Marcin Kruszewski, also known as "Marcin’s Law" (Polish: "Prawo Marcina"), recently recorded a video discussing vapes. In the video, he compared the potential ban on the sale of electronic cigarettes to the existing ban on energy drinks, which only applies to those under 18 years old. In Kruszewski’s opinion, a ban on e-cigarettes should affect the entire population, not just underage individuals.

While the idea may not be well-received by both traders and users of these devices, any official decision by the health and finance ministers will have to wait. For now, vapes are still readily available for purchase.